From a Hundred Miles Away
by Melchy
Summary: A long sent Valentine finally makes it's way to the intended person.


Many thanks so Susan G and Denise G.

Carolyn had spent the morning at Roger's Drugstore looking for just the perfect cards to send her loved ones on Valentine's Day. A sentimental one for her mother and father, one of obligatory well wishes for Ralph and Marjorie, a light hearted view of the holiday for Martha, and one with a teasing picture of a handsome man for her grandmother Lily. For Candy, she found one with a paper doll cut out and dress and for Jonathan a card that had a picture of a pirate ship and said _You're My Hidden Treasure. _This would be the last year she could get away with mush like that as he would be 7 next year.

Captain Gregg had been the hardest to pick out as she wasn't sure exactly what she wanted it to say. She was fond of the spirit of Gull Cottage and she told herself that over and over again to push back the idea that perhaps it was more than fondness. In the beginning she had to admit she was flattered by his attentions, but now...

She finally decided on a card that simply said stated _To The One Who Understands Me Most, _because he did. He seemed to know exactly what was in her mind, almost following her thought processes with his own. Not even her husband of eight years, as much as they had loved one another, had ever seemed to know her the way Daniel Gregg did. It was a thought that both frightened her and gave her peace.

She came home to the smell of chili bubbling on the stove and cookies baking in the oven. 'You are just in time for lunch." Martha greeted her at the front door. "And I just made some fresh coffee."

"Sounds wonderful." Carolyn took the pile of mail the housekeeper handed her. "The wind is cold today. I wouldn't be surprised if we had snow tonight."

"Good thing we went grocery shopping yesterday then. " the older woman wiped her hands on her apron. In the five months they had lived in Maine, they hadn't had more than an inch or two.

"Good!" Carolyn remarked. "I don't think that road is going to be much fun covered in a foot of snow."

"You don't think the Schooner Bay Highway Commission will salt the roads?" Martha smiled. "I don't suppose so. ' she answered her own question, "the ghost might get out or something."

'"Just let me look through the mail and I'll be right in."

"I'll have your chili waiting. "

"Thanks, Martha."

"Profitable day, my dear?" Captain Gregg's warm voice came from the direction of the stairs.

"Yes, thank you." she smiled at him. "I got my Valentine's Day cards and mailed my latest article. Oh no, the gas bill and the oil bill at the same time. Why does that always happen?"

"Well at least, it's not accompanied by the electric bill as it was last time."

"True." she nodded her head, then grimaced as she looked at the next envelope.

"The electric bill." they both said together.

The next envelope was much smaller assuring her that it was not a bill of any kind. The handwriting looked familiar but it was the way it was addressed that made her chuckle.  
Mrs. Carolyn Muir  
1051 Schooner Trail  
Philadelphia, PA

The front was covered with a variety of stamps and postmarks.

"It's a more seasoned traveler than I ever was." the Captain remarked.

"I didn't realize they would forward mail that long." she slit the envelope open. "I haven't lived there in over three years."

It was a valentine's card, the front simply stating To My Valentine, a bouquet of roses emblazoned in the center. She opened it, giving the Captain a look that said she still wasn't sure, going on to read the inside.

_Everything I am is because of who you are.  
All my love,  
Bobby._

Bobby? Her legs felt weak and refused to hold her up, her body settling bonelessly on the bottom step.

"Madam?" her ghostly companion was concerned. "Is anything amiss?"

"Yes, it is." she handed him the card, with a shaking hand.

"Who, if I may ask, is Bobby?" he looked down at her.

Her face was white and her eyes held a haunted look. "He's my husband."

"I thought he was dead." the spirit said, regretting it immediately.

"He IS dead." she snapped. 'Three years ago this April." Her voice was much kinder this time.

Captain Gregg picked up the envelope she had dropped, looking at the various postmarks. Apparently the card had been mailed in downtown Philadelphia but instead of making it to its intended location, it had gone to New Jersey. Assuming that the post marks were in order, it had traveled to several places in that state across to New York, down to Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, into Kentucky, dipped into North Carolina before heading back North through West Virginia, Ohio again, New Jersey one more time and finally back to Philadelphia. He wasn't sure how it had ended up in Schooner Bay but someone had written the city and state underneath the original address.

"The first postmark is dated Feb, 10, 1966." he said helplessly.

She pushed her hair back behind her ears, her hand shaking so she could barely do the job. "I accused him of not doing anything that year" her lips trembled. "We had been married eight years at that point and I thought that maybe he thought romance wasn't necessary. I knew that he loved me but I guess after eight years and two kids he might have started taking us for granted. Bobby loved excuses like Valentine's Day to give me flowers and take me out. He said they were legal days for spoiling me. But that year there was nothing. I tried not to show it but I felt sort of left out."

She reached for the envelope and he gave it to her. She ran it between her fingers feeling something else inside. Reaching in she pulled out two long pieces of heavy paper. Tickets. Turning them over, she read the words engraved on one, her free hand going to her mouth, her face growing red, tears threatening.

"What, what's the matter?" Captain Gregg sat down beside her, feeling even more helpless then before.

"Tickets." she managed. "To the most talked about show in town." she read the lettering on one. "I'm so sorry." she whispered, the Captain knowing the words were not for him. "Mailing the tickets was his style. He loved to surprise me and would think up elaborate schemes to surprise me on my birthday or our anniversary or sometimes just because. I guess I remember this Valentine's Day so clearly because it was the last one. I didn't think I really cared about the day but when nothing showed up all day from him, not even flowers, I, I will admit I was annoyed. His classes were all late ones every other day so I knew he wouldn't be late, but he was even later than usual that night. I saved his present for him and tried to be patient. You just can't imagine what goes through a woman's mind in such a situation. Especially when she has a husband with whom all of his female students were madly in love. When he did get home with a bouquet of half-dead carnations and tickets to the Philadelphia Theatre Guild, I'm afraid I wasn't very kind. I still remember the look in his eyes, they just lost all of their light."

"But surely..." the Captain began.

"No, "she looked back up. "He never explained. If he had, I would have thought it was just an excuse. He just told me that he was sorry and he'd make it up to me next year but in the meantime couldn't I at least give him a kiss." She sat quietly for a long moment and then smiled. "You know there were many good things about that day, it might have actually been the best Valentine's Day we ever had." And then the tears ran freely.

A Kleenex from the box by the phone landed on her lap and she wiped her eyes with it. "I think you could use some more." he chuckled, this time the whole box landing on her lap.

"Why, thank you sir." she let out a giggle. "You are most kind and generous."

"I am at that," he nodded. "but I am not, above all things, sweet."

"I never would have accused you of such a thing." her smile returning.

"Mrs. Muir." Martha called out from the kitchen. "If this chili cooks any more it's going to become part of the pot."

"Coming, Martha." she called back.

"Would you take this upstairs for me, please, Captain?" she handed him the envelope and its contents.

"I'd be happy to, Madam."

"And thank you." she whispered.

"May I ask for what?"

"For helping me to understand love. Even from a hundred years away."


End file.
